TKR Put the right knee in...and then the left.
- Thread starter gertie
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gertie
post-grad
Weekly update--week 16 for June and week 10 for Augie.
--Sleep continues to be erratic. This is partly a familiar problem from pre-surgery but seems to be a bit worse post-surgery and is especially a drag now that I'm back to work. I'm still half time this week and working from home so I can manage the fatigue but it will be an issue when I start working full time and spending more time in the office, which will happen in a couple of weeks. Sigh...
--Slowly returning to "normal" activities. On Saturday I went to a friend's house for supper. I accepted the invitation without a single concern for knees, and then realized that this was the first such outing since before the June surgery. In the past month to six weeks I've often met friends at restaurants for breakfast or lunch but haven't gone for an evening out at someone's house. Of course, a few minutes after hanging up the phone I started reviewing what his front steps looked like (railing? no railing?) and whether he had a comfort height toilet. (yes, there is a railing and yes, the toilet is comfort height).
--Yesterday, I had friends come to my house for supper. Now, folks have shared meals with me throughout recovery but they've always brought the food, served it, cleaned up after, while I reclined regally. I've been cooking for myself for a while but this was a first experience of entertaining and doing all the work myself--a lot more time on my feet than I've gotten used to and it was fine. I was muscle sore yesterday evening but the knees didn't suffer. Augie is a bit more "tender" today than usual but nothing extreme.
--I tried removing the raised toilet seat in my house (in honor of company coming). I do have a comfort height toilet and it's nestled right next to the sink so there's something to push up against but it still feels like a lot of work to stand up--maybe today is not the best day for this after yesterday's exertions so I've reinstalled the raised seat for at least a few more days. I do wonder if taking on the challenge of getting up from the toilet will help rebuild some leg muscle strength but don't want to overly strain the knees. A conundrum.
A question I'm asking myself these days is whether, in an attempt to protect my new knees, I've stayed too sedentary, not taken on challenges that will move me forward? I am a physically cautious person by nature but...I don't want that to work against me. Although I like to move and be active, I also can easily fall into couch potato habits and I feel firmly ensconced in that territory right now, especially since I'm still somewhat limited in ways to be active (not yet up to lawn mowing and gardening clean up that requires lots of crouching and bending).
--Sleep continues to be erratic. This is partly a familiar problem from pre-surgery but seems to be a bit worse post-surgery and is especially a drag now that I'm back to work. I'm still half time this week and working from home so I can manage the fatigue but it will be an issue when I start working full time and spending more time in the office, which will happen in a couple of weeks. Sigh...
--Slowly returning to "normal" activities. On Saturday I went to a friend's house for supper. I accepted the invitation without a single concern for knees, and then realized that this was the first such outing since before the June surgery. In the past month to six weeks I've often met friends at restaurants for breakfast or lunch but haven't gone for an evening out at someone's house. Of course, a few minutes after hanging up the phone I started reviewing what his front steps looked like (railing? no railing?) and whether he had a comfort height toilet. (yes, there is a railing and yes, the toilet is comfort height).
--Yesterday, I had friends come to my house for supper. Now, folks have shared meals with me throughout recovery but they've always brought the food, served it, cleaned up after, while I reclined regally. I've been cooking for myself for a while but this was a first experience of entertaining and doing all the work myself--a lot more time on my feet than I've gotten used to and it was fine. I was muscle sore yesterday evening but the knees didn't suffer. Augie is a bit more "tender" today than usual but nothing extreme.
--I tried removing the raised toilet seat in my house (in honor of company coming). I do have a comfort height toilet and it's nestled right next to the sink so there's something to push up against but it still feels like a lot of work to stand up--maybe today is not the best day for this after yesterday's exertions so I've reinstalled the raised seat for at least a few more days. I do wonder if taking on the challenge of getting up from the toilet will help rebuild some leg muscle strength but don't want to overly strain the knees. A conundrum.
A question I'm asking myself these days is whether, in an attempt to protect my new knees, I've stayed too sedentary, not taken on challenges that will move me forward? I am a physically cautious person by nature but...I don't want that to work against me. Although I like to move and be active, I also can easily fall into couch potato habits and I feel firmly ensconced in that territory right now, especially since I'm still somewhat limited in ways to be active (not yet up to lawn mowing and gardening clean up that requires lots of crouching and bending).
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Getting off of toilets, out of chairs and up from sofas or other seating, will help you build leg strength. Doing so isn’t easy at first in part, as you noted, we’ve gotten de-conditioned from doing it.
I noticed this when we took away the toilet rails (comfort height toilet) after my FIL moved out. I didn’t need them, but I had been using them out of habit and, well, it was a little easier, right? Anyway, getting off wasn’t hard, it was just not as easy as it had been before. That lasted about a week as my muscles got used to doing the heavy lifting again.
There’s no timeline for when to be ready for getting rid of the raiser. Do what feels best for you. Your knees will tell you if it’s too soon. As a fellow couch potato, I can attest that when you want to use your knees, they’ll be there and ready for you. More recoveries suffer from people who try too much, too soon than by people who take things slowly.
I noticed this when we took away the toilet rails (comfort height toilet) after my FIL moved out. I didn’t need them, but I had been using them out of habit and, well, it was a little easier, right? Anyway, getting off wasn’t hard, it was just not as easy as it had been before. That lasted about a week as my muscles got used to doing the heavy lifting again.
There’s no timeline for when to be ready for getting rid of the raiser. Do what feels best for you. Your knees will tell you if it’s too soon. As a fellow couch potato, I can attest that when you want to use your knees, they’ll be there and ready for you. More recoveries suffer from people who try too much, too soon than by people who take things slowly.
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Lynn,
Sounds like you are doing wonderfully in your slow return to "normal life" Entertaining is more difficult than cooking something up for yourself so kneerah for that accomplishment!
Spending an evening in the home of a friend where you can't just take to bed or couch if you feel like it is also a big accomplishment so another kneerah for that!
If using a raised toilet seat is the biggest conundrum these days then you are in a great place! The activity level will increase as you try pushing your limits over the next few months. A few ODIC meetings will help you find the balance between not enough and too much!
Sounds like you are doing wonderfully in your slow return to "normal life" Entertaining is more difficult than cooking something up for yourself so kneerah for that accomplishment!
Spending an evening in the home of a friend where you can't just take to bed or couch if you feel like it is also a big accomplishment so another kneerah for that!
If using a raised toilet seat is the biggest conundrum these days then you are in a great place! The activity level will increase as you try pushing your limits over the next few months. A few ODIC meetings will help you find the balance between not enough and too much!
Pheebs52
big-cheese
@gertie, what a wonderful report! I agree with everything that's been stated, so can't add much other than another Kneerah! Both your recoveries continue to amaze me!
I know what you mean about being fearful of sliding down into couch-potatodom, but...I don't believe you will. You have too many activities you enjoy, even if you can't do them just yet. I make myself take short walks each day (15 minutes, each dog) or the market, and ride my bike 2x a day for about 5 minutes. Other than that, my many stairs are my exercise. I can't quite recall when I ditched the raised toilet seat, but I think it was fairly early (8-10 weeks perhaps?) because it made my small bathroom rather crowded. I don't have a comfort height toilet, and boy, did the that feel LOW at first! However, it didn't bother my knee, it was my out of shape thighs that took the heat. I'd say it took about 2 weeks to be able to use it with relative ease.
I wish I had an answer to your sleeping difficulties other than talking to your PCP, but I do not. If you had trouble with sleeping prior to both surgeries, it's not really surprising it's still a problem, eh? I can certainly understand your concerns about returning to work full-time and in the office, as opposed to home. I'm sure that will be a big challenge initially, but you have risen to every challenge presented with the knees, so I imagine you'll handle this one as well. Perhaps that will be the ticket to better sleep; who knows?
Congratulations on entertaining! It's rather exhausting, isn't it? Still, what a great milestone to have achieved; woot!
I know what you mean about being fearful of sliding down into couch-potatodom, but...I don't believe you will. You have too many activities you enjoy, even if you can't do them just yet. I make myself take short walks each day (15 minutes, each dog) or the market, and ride my bike 2x a day for about 5 minutes. Other than that, my many stairs are my exercise. I can't quite recall when I ditched the raised toilet seat, but I think it was fairly early (8-10 weeks perhaps?) because it made my small bathroom rather crowded. I don't have a comfort height toilet, and boy, did the that feel LOW at first! However, it didn't bother my knee, it was my out of shape thighs that took the heat. I'd say it took about 2 weeks to be able to use it with relative ease.
I wish I had an answer to your sleeping difficulties other than talking to your PCP, but I do not. If you had trouble with sleeping prior to both surgeries, it's not really surprising it's still a problem, eh? I can certainly understand your concerns about returning to work full-time and in the office, as opposed to home. I'm sure that will be a big challenge initially, but you have risen to every challenge presented with the knees, so I imagine you'll handle this one as well. Perhaps that will be the ticket to better sleep; who knows?
Congratulations on entertaining! It's rather exhausting, isn't it? Still, what a great milestone to have achieved; woot!
OP
OP
gertie
post-grad
I tried again using the toilet without the raised seat and it's clear. My right knee (which is the more mature one oddly enough) is not ready for this. It's easy enough to get down and back up, pushing up on the seat and on the edge of the sink counter, but I pay a price afterwards with ongoing soreness in soft tissue surrounding June (more than Augie). June usually isn't sore, except when I first stand up after sitting for a while, so this tells me the soreness is directly related to rising from the loo. So the raised seat is going back on. If the soreness were in quad muscles I'd persist but I don't like having June hurt.
June (my right knee) was pretty disabled for a few months prior to the surgery so I suspect that leg is weaker overall than Augie and because I"ve been waiting on doing PT for strengthening until Augie was older, June continues to be weaker than I'd like. Walking and ADLs are not really doing much to build back that strength. Feeling frustrated since this limits my comfort in going to friends' houses where I might need to use a loo with a lower than I'd like toilet. Plus I'm going to start going into the office for periods of time next week. They have comfort height toilets with a bar next to them, which will help, but still...
I can feel myself lapsing into negative comparison territory. Why am I such a slug and laggard, etc. Shouldn't I be further along? Had one of those conversations recently with a friend who told me about someone she knows who had 2 TKRs on a similar schedule to mine and was now gleefully going for brisk 1.5 mile walks. Not sure why she was telling me this but what I heard was, "you wimp, why aren't you able to do that?" Well, I haven't tried because I'm trying to stay out of the ODIC (furthest I've walked is just shy of one mile at a very moderate pace).
I'm also still taking a cane with me when I go for a walk (only time I use one) and feel self-conscious about that and self-judging. Shouldn't I be past time for needing a cane???!!
OP
OP
gertie
post-grad
Unfortunately, she doesn't have any good answers either. She did offer Trazadone as an option, but with cautions about potentials for dizziness and next day sleepiness, so I'm reluctant to try it. Last thing I need is to wake up dizzy when I need to go for a middle of the night loo run. I suspect I need some behavioral interventions--self talk, meditation, better sleep hygiene, some combination of those things, rather than medication.
Friends who tell you things like that should stay away!
Try not to take any notice when you hear of people who are allegedly having lighting-quick recoveries. They very seldom happen. It seems that everyone has a story of a friend's friend's second cousin or great-aunt, who leaped off the operating table and danced her way back to her room and was happily back at work within ten days. Pure fiction!
Nobody else's knee was in exactly the same condition as yours and nobody else had exactly the same amount of work done during surgery. Your knee is recovering on its own schedule and it is doing just fine! It's not even two and a half months since you had your second major surgery and complete recovery takes a full year.
You're going through a double whammy of a recovery, with two knees done quite close together. Allow yourself and your knees the time you all need. You're doing very well, so don't let someone's thoughtless comment upset you.
OP
OP
gertie
post-grad
Well, she is one of my closest friends and has been a good support through all this so I think I just need to have a chat with her (or simply tell myself to let it go). I know she didn't have ill intent, just unaware of how I might feel. and maybe wondering what the norm is at this point in recovery.
And I need to remind myself (and my friends perhaps) that I have been basically unable to do any kind of exercise since early summer 2016, when my hip started to really deteriorate. I walked post hip surgery but my bad right knee kept me on a short leash--might have gotten up to a mile but no further. Prior to my joints falling apart I had regular 2 and 3 mile loops that I did several times a week and I really miss that.
I hadn't noticed you had a THR as well. That's 3 major surgeries within one year. No wonder your body is taking its sweet time!
Yes, your friend just spoke thoughtlessly for a moment and I think a quiet word with her is a good idea. She probably hasn't added up all the surgeries and their recovery time, either.
In light of three major surgeries, you are doing brilliantly!
Yes, your friend just spoke thoughtlessly for a moment and I think a quiet word with her is a good idea. She probably hasn't added up all the surgeries and their recovery time, either.
In light of three major surgeries, you are doing brilliantly!
liam2015
post-grad
awww gertie...give yourself a lot of credit for having 2 knee replacements within a few months. gosh, i think you're doing fantastic. i know how it feels when someone tells you about someone else that's doing so much better than you, probably meaning to encourage you that you have that to look forward to, but then you hear it in a negative way. i would probably let it go because my friend is just as sensitive as i am and would likely take it the wrong way...lol! you will get back to walking your 2 and 3 mile loops, i have no doubt.
Pheebs52
big-cheese
@gertie, I think your worry about returning to work full-time and lack of sleep might be triggering some of these other doubts about how well you are recovering. I'm sure your friend meant to cheer you up with an inspirational story, it's just that those who haven't been this route cannot possibly wrap their minds around the enormity of this recovery process and just how we might receive their tales.
You've had 3 major surgeries in just one year, with two very close together, yet, in some ways, you are actually doing better than many here, self included! You've managed to stay out of the ODIC (no small feat) have very little swelling, haven't really complained of too much pain and your ROM is excellent as well. All great stuff in my book!
I've no doubt that roughly 9 months from now, you'll be right back to walking those 2-3 miles a day and not even thinking about your knees! Naturally, I keep giving myself this pep-talk as well, lol.
You've had 3 major surgeries in just one year, with two very close together, yet, in some ways, you are actually doing better than many here, self included! You've managed to stay out of the ODIC (no small feat) have very little swelling, haven't really complained of too much pain and your ROM is excellent as well. All great stuff in my book!
I've no doubt that roughly 9 months from now, you'll be right back to walking those 2-3 miles a day and not even thinking about your knees! Naturally, I keep giving myself this pep-talk as well, lol.
phrog
senior
It is amazing to me that you have had 3 surgeries in such a short time and are doing as well as you are. I read how active you are socially and it really is an inspiration. I know the frustration of having a recovery compared to others - it is upsetting in the same way that hearing a parent compare you to your older sibling is. We are different than our sibs - and our knees are all our own too.
Wish I had a solution for the lack of sleep - I am a member of Sleepless in Stockton club (somehow that doesn't have quite the same ring as Sleepless in Seattle), but if I am honest I haven't slept well since 1988. I thought retirement would fix it, but it didn't. I think your idea of better "sleep hygiene" is a good one. I have something of a routine for falling asleep that works and I fall right to sleep sometime between 10 and 11. Unfortunately, when I awake 4 hours later and get up to use the bathroom, it's hard to turn my brain off and go back to sleep. If I figure it out I will let you know - Wishing you sweet dreams tonight
janet
Wish I had a solution for the lack of sleep - I am a member of Sleepless in Stockton club (somehow that doesn't have quite the same ring as Sleepless in Seattle), but if I am honest I haven't slept well since 1988. I thought retirement would fix it, but it didn't. I think your idea of better "sleep hygiene" is a good one. I have something of a routine for falling asleep that works and I fall right to sleep sometime between 10 and 11. Unfortunately, when I awake 4 hours later and get up to use the bathroom, it's hard to turn my brain off and go back to sleep. If I figure it out I will let you know - Wishing you sweet dreams tonight
janet
Lynn,
I for one think you are having a rockstar recovery especially in light of your multiple surgeries in such a short time span. Phooey on those who don't understand what a major trauma this is to the body. The phenomenal recovery stories are "fake news" in my eyes. I think people generally and honestly "forget" what they actually went through when it happened a long while ago.
@phrog if you figure out the sleep thing, please do share. Many of us would pay big money for a solution that works on a consistent basis.
I for one think you are having a rockstar recovery especially in light of your multiple surgeries in such a short time span. Phooey on those who don't understand what a major trauma this is to the body. The phenomenal recovery stories are "fake news" in my eyes. I think people generally and honestly "forget" what they actually went through when it happened a long while ago.
@phrog if you figure out the sleep thing, please do share. Many of us would pay big money for a solution that works on a consistent basis.
@gertie I can relate to much of what you’ve said!
Use the higher toilet seat for as long as you like. In our previous house we totally redid the 2 upstairs bathrooms and had the comfort height ones installed. Then we replaced the one in the downstairs half bath with the higher height because my knees were hurting. That was at least 5 years ago. 2 years ago we moved into our current house, one bath already had the higher height but not the master bath. So we bought a raised seat for it. This was long before my surgery was even a consideration. I have no intention of taking the raised seat off ever, because I like it!
After an extremely lengthy set back because of visiting friends for a weekend and getting hurt using their lower toilet the whole time I have now purchased a portable raised seat, no installation, just set it on, for when visit someone and know ahead of time I’ll need it.
I have an acquaintance in my neighborhood who had her TKR 4 weeks after me and all I hear from my friends is how well she is doing. I am not doing nearly as well as she is. It’s depressing, and I admit embarrassing, though it shouldn’t be, but I can’t help feeling that way.
I feel very self conscious taking my cane on a walk with me in my neighborhood. I only use it on my slanted driveway so I carry it once I reach the street. It folds, so I fold it so it’s less obvious.
It’s tough being so sensitive to what others think and say, I wish I wasn’t.
Use the higher toilet seat for as long as you like. In our previous house we totally redid the 2 upstairs bathrooms and had the comfort height ones installed. Then we replaced the one in the downstairs half bath with the higher height because my knees were hurting. That was at least 5 years ago. 2 years ago we moved into our current house, one bath already had the higher height but not the master bath. So we bought a raised seat for it. This was long before my surgery was even a consideration. I have no intention of taking the raised seat off ever, because I like it!
After an extremely lengthy set back because of visiting friends for a weekend and getting hurt using their lower toilet the whole time I have now purchased a portable raised seat, no installation, just set it on, for when visit someone and know ahead of time I’ll need it.
I have an acquaintance in my neighborhood who had her TKR 4 weeks after me and all I hear from my friends is how well she is doing. I am not doing nearly as well as she is. It’s depressing, and I admit embarrassing, though it shouldn’t be, but I can’t help feeling that way.
I feel very self conscious taking my cane on a walk with me in my neighborhood. I only use it on my slanted driveway so I carry it once I reach the street. It folds, so I fold it so it’s less obvious.
It’s tough being so sensitive to what others think and say, I wish I wasn’t.
OP
OP
gertie
post-grad
Oh, yes, I know what you mean. Not sure why I feel this way but...there you go. I think the gossip has spread that I'm recovering from TKRs so really, it's not a big deal. At least I'm no longer trudging along behind a walker with a PT watching my every step as I did in the first couple of weeks post surgery!
Lynn and @Jockette Please don't let peer pressure affect your safety. I used a cane for well over a year before my surgery even though I am 10 years younger than some of my closest friends. The thing is, we have to get over our embarrassment and pride. Believe me it's a lot more embarrassing to be helped up off the sidewalk if you've fallen. Want to know how I know this first hand? Lol! It cured my pride very quickly and I didn't mind using my cane afterwards!
Your time will come when you will once again be sure footed but in the meantime safety first!
Your time will come when you will once again be sure footed but in the meantime safety first!
rubyyarn
graduate
KarriB
Former BoneSmart staff member
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I walk a few miles a day and take a cane with me. You never know when you'll need it, plus I have a bad left knee. Lots of people use walking sticks for stability.
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